With great sadness and appreciation, The Conference Board mourns the passing of Colin Marshall, Baron Marshall of Knightsbridge. Marshall died in London on July 5. He was 78 years old.

Famed for turning around British Airways as its CEO in the 1980s, Colin Marshall joined the board of trustees of The Conference Board in 1995. He served as Chairman from 2000 to 2003, before retiring in 2004.

“Lord Marshall was a brilliant businessman who never forgot that business only works when it works in the interest of society,” said Jonathan Spector, CEO of The Conference Board. “As a forward-thinking executive at Hertz, Avis, and British Airways, among other companies, he crafted a legacy of lasting achievement on both sides of the Atlantic. At The Conference Board, he drew generously on those decades of accumulated insight. While shepherding TCB’s long-term expansion to new global audiences, he also steered us through the uncertain days, months, and years after the sudden 9/11 attacks on our home city.

“Colin Marshall’s leadership will be sorely missed by all the members and employees of The Conference Board. His passing is a tremendous loss for the entire global business community.”